Immigration simply means entering and staying in a country to which you are not a native. The United States of America, the land of opportunities enjoys the benefit in terms of immigration as no other country does. Immigration plays a major role in the economy of the US.

The Immigration Process:

Commonly used immigration procedures are getting a visa, being sponsored by relatives for a green card or getting a green card through one’s own eligibility. It is a win-win situation for both the immigrant and the US and the immigrant gets the opportunity to live and work in the US, whereas the financial benefits out of immigration are indeed remarkable for the country. You can enter the US through an immigrant visa or a non-immigrant visa. Non-immigrant visas are for temporary visits to the U.S. for tourism, study, or work. Whereas Immigrant visas allow for Permanent Residence in the U.S.

After you enter the United States with a visa, you can adjust your status to a green card holder (permanent resident) subject to conditions for visa holders who fall under certain categories. After becoming a green card holder, you move a step forward as you become eligible for US citizenship. Being a green card holder or being a citizen of the US has its own advantages. Green card acts as a proof of lawful permanent residence status in the US. One with a green card can live and work permanently in the US. Whereas a US citizen has the liberty to enter and exit the US at any time. He also becomes eligible to vote. There are many other benefits as well.

The process becomes easier if the US authorities are fully satisfied with the intention of your visit to the US. Another important aspect is, ensure you enter the US legally. If you entered the US with the permission of the US authorities, it means you entered legally and it will certainly help in a hassle-free stay in the US. People who enter illegally are those who did not get permission to enter the US. This certainly will cause trouble in their work and stay in the US. The US immigration laws make things very difficult for those who entered illegally to get a green card. So in the best interest of immigrants, it is always advisable to enter legally. There are many ways to get a green card. One is through family sponsorship where your family member who is a US citizen or a green card holder sponsors you. You can also get an employment based green card where a qualified US employer sponsors you. The diversity visa lottery (DV lottery) is another way to get a green card. Under this program, 55,000 immigration applicants will be randomly selected to get a green card. A person granted Refugee Status or Asylum may also apply for a Green Card but is subject to US immigration laws that differ accordingly.

After you become a green card holder, you can help your family members come to the United States. It also moves you closer to be eligible for citizenship as being a green card holder is the main eligibility criteria for citizenship.

The United States government issues 55,000 Green Cards every year through the USA Green Card Lottery. Applicants are selected randomly by a computer generated drawing. If selected, the main applicant, spouse and all unmarried children under 21 years of age will have a chance to receive permanent resident status in the United States.